What would you do when confronted with a nondescript white box of a condo? For our MIssion Bay Penthouse project, we transformed said condo with bold color and pattern! It’s amazing how wallpaper and paint can completely change a space and imbue personality. Read on for a few dramatic before and afters and make sure to check out the link at the bottom for all the photos from this project!

BEFORE: The living room

AFTER: We kept the walls white in the living room due to the plentiful sunlight, and brought in color through the furnishings.

The only walls kept white in the condo were in the living room and kitchen! The dark entry is painted in burgundy and transitions into this bright living space filled with natural sunlight. The colorful theme is found in the furnishings instead.

BEFORE: the master bedroom

AFTER: Blues and grays create a calm and peaceful retreat in the master bedroom.

The master bedroom is a peaceful retreat with its blue and gray color theme, and subtle yet dramatic hand-painted wallpaper. We love how the painted and wallpapered walls make the room feel bigger than before when the room had white walls.

BEFORE: The guest bedroom

AFTER: We created a moody guest bedroom with Farrow & Ball Hague Blue paint and a patterned wallpaper.

Our client’s favorite room is possibly this moody guest bedroom with elephant motif wallpaper. The contrast of the blue and yellow makes the furnishings pop, and this is a great example of how dark colors don’t make rooms feel depressing or small!

It's time for everyone's favorite: Before + After! Our Pacific Heights Vintage Modern project was truly transformative. The condo hadn't been updated in years and needed some major upgrades for the paint, laminate flooring, and outdated light fixtures. We also turned this bachelor pad into a proper home for two.

Let's start with the main living and dining area. What a difference fresh paint and custom hardwood floors can make! Not to mention all that new lighting and furniture...

BEFORE: The living and dining area

AFTER: The dining area

AFTER: The living area

Now moving onto the adjacent kitchen. Previously there was a partial wall separating the kitchen from the living and dining areas. To create the open floor plan, our team came up with a creative way to remove the wall without affecting plumbing. A new concrete bar countertop was added after the wall was removed.

BEFORE: View of the kitchen from the living area

AFTER: The kitchen

Lastly, we have the master bedroom where we rearranged the furniture layout to create a cozy lounge area.

IT'S REVEAL TIME! We had so much fun putting together our living room the past few days, and we're excited to share our final post for the One Room Challenge! As many of you know, we started with two people (my husband and I) moving in together (3 years ago), each with their own furniture. The end goal was to create a unified aesthetic, and while we kept many original pieces from the room, the vibe is now completely different. It feels like a home for both of us.

Our new living room.

A reminder of what we started with.

We replaced the original sofa cushion backs with soft loose pillows.

Moving the lamp to the perimeter of the room created openness.

Plants and flowers always help complete a space.

We loved sourcing the neutral textiles to mix.

Coffee table essentials.

The art of layering rugs - these were purchased in Morocco 10 years ago!

A close up of the customized oak coffee table designed by Form + Field.

Thanks so much for following along with us for our first One Room Challenge! We're so glad we did it, and we're looking forward to finally updating the rest of our condo...

What do you think of the makeover? What do you like most about the new space? We'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.

Accessories - those small touches that contribute to the unique character and life of a space. While they may not seem important compared to furniture, accessories can often make or break a space. They impact how a space feels, and ultimately you want a space that feels personal, authentic, and complete. In our post for week 5 of the One Room Challenge, we’ll be sharing our approach to accessorizing your home.

A vignette of objects both decorative and functional from our Brooklyn Co-op Project

We take a Goldilocks approach to accessories: not too many and not too few! Too many can feel cluttered while having too few can feel like you’re living in a hotel. Via a thoughtfully curated selection of accessories, you can add depth to your spaces and amplify the beauty - all without sacrificing functionality.

For our living room makeover, we selected several key new pieces that add visual interest. We're also mixing in a couple trinkets that we’ve collected over the years that have sentimental value. It's always important to select varied materials, colors, and textures that create a collection of accessories that feels personal and unique to your story. Don't be afraid to put together different styles, metals, or finishes as long you as you love it - that's exactly how you avoid a showroom or over-designed look.

Here we are at week 3 of the One Room Challenge, where bloggers take 6 weeks to transform a room and document the process. In the two previous weeks, we shared the room we’re tackling, and the new plans for the space. This week: progress photos!

Fresh white walls

We’ve been busy with the project management stage of the project which includes procurement and execution, and placing orders for all the new items for the living room space and overseeing installation. Some of our new pieces have started to come in or be completed: new paint, new sofa legs and cushions, and new bookshelves. You'll notice we still have to declutter and rearrange a bit...

New cushions, sofa feet, and bookshelves are in

Now that some of the major pieces are in place (with more new items arriving soon), we’ve been thinking about layering - the small touches that greatly contribute to the unique character and life of a space. Our next two posts will be focused on adding plant life and accessorizing with decorative and/or functional objects. No room is complete without these last steps!

Check in next week for a primer on selecting the right plants for your space. Missed the previous weeks' posts? You can catch up here: Week 1Week 2